Physical Dependency: This involves a detox process to cope with withdrawal symptoms from regular use of the drug. With regular use of drugs, the brain gradually adapts to the presence of the drug and then overtime will require more of the drug for the desired effect. The body builds up a tolerance for the drug and increased dosages will be required to get the desired “high” that was once attained at a lower dose. This is the reason why the drug will eventually become a full blown addiction, when usually use follows a slow pattern from occasional social use to requiring daily doses.

At that point to stop taking a drug or to try and quit the drug can lead to withdrawal symptoms where the body may take weeks or months (depending on the drug involved) to return to normal.

Psychological Dependency: Psychological dependency is addressed in many drug rehab programs by attempting to teach the patient new methods of interacting in a drug-free environment. In particular, patients are generally encouraged or required not to associate with friends who still use the addictive substances. Usually these programs encourage addicts not only to stop using alcohol or other drugs, but to examine and change habits related to their addictions.

Many programs emphasize recovery is a permanent process or as a new lifestyle. For legal drugs such as alcohol, complete abstention—rather than attempts at moderation, which may lead to relapse—is also emphasized (“One drink is too many; one hundred drinks is not enough.”)

It’s important that a alcohol and drug rehab treatment concentrate on both sides to the same coin of addiction; physical and psychological effects of their dependency.